Wagering game machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines, and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for many years. Generally, the popularity of such machines depends on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine, and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely attracted to what they see as the most entertaining and exciting of the machines. Consequently, shrewd operators strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines available because such machines attract frequent play and increase profitability for the operator.
To provide increased entertainment value, as well as reliability of operation, many wagering game machines are computerized, operating under the control of one or more processors that store game data in various types of memory. For a variety of reasons, including periodic maintenance, machines that provide computerized wagering games are taken off-line so that some or all of the memory can be cleared. The process of clearing memory can take a significant amount of time, reducing potential revenue for gaming machine operators.